The use of camouflage for military vehicles, such as aircraft, ships, rockets, tanks, trucks and the like is well known. World War I aircraft, surface vessels including ships and tanks used various camouflage techniques. In later wars, the techniques were developed with various paint schemes to dazzle or confuse the eyes. Mackay U.S. Pat. No. 1,305,296 was an early patent showing a technique for rendering objects less visible by using multi-colors in splotch fashion. Brush et al 715,013 was an even earlier development using three basic colors in which the darkest color was placed on the top of the vessel with subsequent use of lighter colors on the lower surfaces of the vessel. The idea in general was to kill the contrast of light and shade.
More recently, Barclay U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,190,691 and Robson 2,292,848 show various techniques for camouflaging vessels including aircraft for the purpose of confusing the enemy so as to make it difficult for him to determine actual size and shape of a moving body.
There are many other publications in the area of camouflage including the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings Publication of July, 1971 which provide photographs of various surface ships and varying camouflage techniques most of which provide "dazzle" effects.
When an object is viewed against the sky, things grow smaller in size with distance and they also grow progressively lighter in value and less distinct or more grey in color. The effect of sun or other light sources on surfaces cause problems with reflected light and shadow as they form over the object.